Finding 1179687 (2024-002)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
B
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2026-03-16

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The organization did not follow the allowable cost principles by requesting full reimbursement for employee compensation, despite a prior limit in the Assistance Agreement.
  • Impacted Requirements: This noncompliance violates 2 CFR Section 200.400, leading to potential questioned costs of around $23,000.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Management should update the Assistance Agreement to reflect all negotiated changes and ensure compliance moving forward.

Finding Text

Finding 2024 – 002 Noncompliance with Allowable Cost/Cost Principle Compliance Requirement Requirement Allowable Cost/Cost Principle Compliance Requirement Type of Finding Material Weakness Criteria: 2 CFR Section 200.400 requires allowable cost principles to be followed in accordance with the Assistance Agreement. Condition: Prior to the April 2024 Modification 0015, the Assistance Agreement limited reimbursement of certain employees’ compensation, excluding the Executive Director, to 92.31% of their total compensation. The Organization requested reimbursement for 100% of certain employees’ compensation. The limitation was removed as part of Modification 0015. Cause: Subsequent to the March 2021 Assistance Agreement being awarded and finalized, the Organization negotiated with the grantor to remove the compensation limitation; however, the Assistance Agreement was not updated for this change until the April 2024 Assistance Agreement. Effect: Failure to comply with March 2021 Assistance Agreement. Questioned Costs: Based on the total labor charged, excluding the Executive Director, there are likely questioned costs, which include direct labor, fringe on direct labor, and general and administrative fringe, totaling approximately $23,000. Identification as a Repeat Finding: See finding 2023-002 included in the Summary of Prior Audit Findings. Recommendation: Management should ensure all negotiated agreements are included in the Assistance Agreement. Management Response: See Corrective Action Plan section.

Corrective Action Plan

As part of the proposal negotiations for the federal program, initial discussions with the sponsoring office of the federal program included a limitation for allowable compensation for employees that were not the Executive Director. Although the limitation was intended to be removed from the final agreement, the budgeted requested salaries were not updated. The Assistance Agreement has been modified to remove any such limitation prospectively beginning with Modification 0015 in April 2024. Implementation Date – April 2025

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles Cash Management Material Weakness

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1179686 2024-001
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
81.049 American Museum of Science and Energy (AMSE) Operations $938,101